Emric.

"Will you stop pacing you're making me nervous and I don't like being nervous okay stop!" I stopped and growl at him. "Apologies alpha." Train showed his neck in submission.

I reigned in my wolf. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to do that." I apologized to my brother.  "It's okay, I know how you're feeling, today we're one eight, I haven't gotten Linden yet and it's one in the morning." He chuckles lightly.

I questioned myself, what if he wasn't the one, what if the goddess really wanted to play go fish with my life, or is it poker, whatever it was I wanted to feel that pull to him.

I was up as Train said it was one in the morning, my wolf wouldn't listen to me no matter how much I try wolf out, he anxious, restless and I don't know how to stop it.

Add on an almost complete full moon, I have nothing working perfectly right now. "Why don't I feel it yet, his scent is driving me nuts already, why don't I feel it, should I go to his house or something." My mother stands by the door laughing.

"You would seem like a creep honey, your dad and I didn't know we were mates until a day or two after his eighteenth birthday, so relax okay." I nod to mom. I just want Linden to be my mate and nothing else.

Another issue is his mom's rogue boyfriend, the trackers found out he's lived in town for a few months now, uses musk to hide his scent, and the reason why we never knew about him was because he stays away from pack territory.

His mistake was coming into pack territory which now includes where Linden's house and a few are, thanks to my dad and the need to extend property for construction, I'm sure he didn't know he was walking into our territory when he did it.

I was glad my baby was smart enough to recognize wolf traits, we blend in so well with humans at times it's hard to pick the difference but there are always hints to look for and if you can find them you'll know your wolf.

But I was worried as well, my baby was living in a house, a rogue wolf could easily enter and that was unavoidable, what choice would I have to make if he were to hurt Linden.

In the process, it would reveal the truth to his mother, break her heart, love him or shun him and that was problematic. I didn't want to think of the possibilities and chances the rogue would have to hurt him, it made me restless.

"We found more info about the rogue." I turn to look at my mom. "He's a doctor at the local hospital, his records are only from this year and only about the time we moved here, which means the same time we came here he did, which doesn't make sense, why would he follow us." It was indeed perplexing.

"Question is mom, did he come alone?" Train asks after pausing his game. "Indeed that's the question, and I'm sure he didn't, the rogues who attacked you weren't here when we marked the land as ours, meaning they might've come with this man." I was now trying to connect everything.

Why would they come here, why did they come here, we had no actual problem with rogues, if you wanted to be part of the pack, you just needed to ask and you were inspected in detail, if you were redeemable then my dad would allow it.

But I realized today was my birthday, I had to worry about linden and Train having fun today that's all, I would check everything out tomorrow.

"Mom can we just keep an eye on him and make sure he isn't  trouble or until we find out he's trouble, today is our birthday let's not damper it and oh have the wolves do a double sweep of the area near Linden's house just to be safe." She ruffles my hair and Train's too.

"Get some sleep boys, you're going to need it." I knew I had to listen to what mom said but I couldn't sleep, I just laid in bed till Train fell asleep next to me.

I got up from the bed and walked to my desk, there were several pictures of Linden and my family there, I silently went on my knees and prayed. All I wanted was someone I had completely fallen in love with.

~

My alarm clock rang, Train punched it and I'm sure I will need a new one. "I slept in here last night huh." I nod. "Sorry." I didn't mind him sleeping in my room.

"It's okay, let's get ready, the alarm clock was set to ring at twelve noon but mom snoozed it to two." That's when my brother realized we slept half the day. "Best sleep ever." I chuckled getting out of bed.

"How are you feeling?" In a way I was good, I felt great, and I was being positive so nothing would pull me down.  "Less negative." I reply with a smile and he threw his pillow at me.

"It better than nothing I suppose." I knew I had to avoid the topic of what today meant for Train, he usually handled it by eating his feelings which worked, that's why I asked for the cake from Linden.

"Go get ready and pick up my boyfriend, the party starts in three hours." He salutes me and walks out of my room. My dad walks in and closes the door before I could get in the bathroom.

"How is he?" I knew he was asking about Train. "Good, he's doing better than last time, though seeing Raz with his mate tonight won't help, I'm hoping he'll be okay." Dad closes his eyes and sighs.

I knew this was hard on him as well, it took a lot of restraint to not cry for my old man. "I always hope that he moved on from all of it, I'm hoping if he gets a mate, he'll be better." I hug dad. "He'll be okay, I have a secret weapon who is bringing all his favorites." My dad smiled gently ruffling my hair.

"Smartass, and you're getting taller, good lad." I nod and walk into the bathroom. Train doesn't really like this day because we are brothers, just not twins like everyone assumes. Train was born the same day as me to a human woman in a human hospital.

She had no idea that wolves existed and the man who had gotten her pregnant was a wolf, therefore the pregnancy developed faster.

She went to the hospital and the nurse who was a wolf recognized the signature scent of a wolf on the woman, so she was taken to the department where wolves were helped rogue or not.

She gave birth to a healthy Train, but because she didn't know wolf pregnancy took six months for the baby to be born, she gave him to the nurse claiming to not want a deformed child.

Even when the nurse tried to explain it never really got through, so she took the baby."Honey you've been in there for an hour, I'm sure you're all cleaned up now, squeaky in fact." I was in fact squeaky, I hadn't noticed the time since I was thinking about Train.

I got out of the bathroom and chose my clothes, the party ceremony was semi formal so I chose clothes that fit the criteria and I did look fine. "Mom can you do my hair, it's a little too long!" She comes in laughing.

"You look dashing, he's gonna love it." I'm sure he was going to outdo me but whatever it wasn't really all about me, it was all him. He was the boss.

"I sure hope so, I got enough beauty sleep to look good for him." She laughs again. "Oh shut it." Mom and I joked and talked for about an hour or so more, as she did my hair, cut it, got rid of split ends, which by the Goddess I don't know what they are then styled it.

"Now go clean up, we have thirty minutes to get to the packhouse." I walked to the closet, picked out what I wanted, and changed.

I make it downstairs, to find mom and dad waiting. Train wasn't there yet, and I knew there was a big surprise coming.  After an hour of partying, receiving gifts, and congratulations, I was getting worried. Train and Linden weren't here yet.

"Honey calm down, remember it takes a day." I nod to mom as we stood facing the front door to the pack house as it opened. Everyone inside including me had our jaws dropped.

Linden was looking fudging hot, I couldn't see anyone beside him, he looked so heavenly, he had contact lenses, his hair styled perfectly, he seemed taller in the boots almost 5'11, those legs in those pants damn.

Down boy easy, I walked toward him. "How do you like the surprise?" He asks with a blush, no words, I just kissed him because he looked so fucking beautiful. "I love you, remember that, now lets dance."

We danced to the music blaring in the packhouse everyone cheered for us as we danced. But one thing kept nagging me, why wasn't I feeling the connection yet.

Why wasn't I clawing to mark him, why was my wolf silent. Linden noticed and led me outside. I knew he was worried too. "Babe, don't look so down, the goddess knows best and she definitely will make everything better, even if it's not meant to be." I sighed and hugged him.

I just wanted him was that too much to ask. "Give it time honey, I told you it won't automatically work on your birthday, alright." My mom spoke up from behind us and I let go of Linden with a half smile.

"Its time for the ceremony, come on boys." I walked with Linden and mom to the makeshift log stage. "Everyone gather up, it's time I pass on the title to our future generation." I was surprised by dad, he hadn't told me he would be doing this ceremony.

I left Linden with mom and walked to the stage whilst everyone cheered. "You're sneaky." I exclaim and dad chuckled. "You're ready Em, I don't doubt that." He smiled toward me leading us to the middle spot.

Everyone was silent as we joined our hands. "I Lex Everlin pass on the title and rights of Alpha to you Emric Everlin, to provide and safeguard the Ryeland Pack." I felt the shift of power, I knew everyone could feel it too.

I was alpha now, the wolves in the woods howled as everyone else cheered. I wasn't totally happy with today, I got one thing I worked hard for which was to make myself worthy of being alpha to my pack but not  Linden as my mate.

That didn't happen and I was scared.

+++

Don't kill me yet, you've waited this far.

LMJ